Paper in Public Policy. (Evaluate a Public Policy) - Essay Example

From the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, equal employment found its way in Title VII, which prohibits discrimination, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin or protected activity. Although the EEO has been quietly comprehensive, there are some aspects, which have been the subject of much discussions and arguments for a long time. These issues involves pregnancy, in women employment where some companies still maintain policies which are discriminatory to pregnant women, harassment and language discrimination.

The addendum was passed expanding the coverage of the EEO Policy to reiterate the old provisions and to include in the prohibition the following: (a) actual or perceived2 race, color, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, (b) gender3 (c) predisposing “genetic characteristics”4, partnership status5, military status or being a victim of sex offenses or stalking. As early as 1999, the media, especially the New York Times have pointed out how women who have been sexually harrassed in the workplace were said to have been turned away instead of protected6.

A review of the charges files with the EEO Commission in early 2005 shows that about 35.5% of these cases are still based on racial discrimination. A good number of these cases are also on discrimation against women, most especially on Blacks7. According to Ms. Cherron E. Howard-Williams, the Office Manager/EEO Officer, Office of Administrative Trials & Hearings, her office have evaluated the current trends in employment and found out that indeed discrimination is common in New York City, thus, her office recommended to the Council that an expanded legislation should be passed.

According to Ms. Howard-Williams, an expanded EEO would give people stronger protection. The EEO is based on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and most of its provisions are based on the exigencies of that time. An addendum is warranted to update the law to be more responsive to the